Frank

You know, Cheryl, I sometimes wonder if our hierarchicalist friends really understand Matt. 28:8-20, and the parallel passages, in the NT. Jesus makes it very clear that all authority and power in heaven and on earth has been given to him, and him alone, by the Father. And he, in turn, delegates authority to all disciples, as represented by the 11 and others present in Galilee when Jesus gave this commission to the Church, to be his representatives and authoritatively proclaim the Gospel, in his authority, not their own. And as for the religious leaders of Israel who forebade them to preach the good news of redemption, reconciliation and adoption in Jesus’ name, Peter and John, as representatives of the entire Church, replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:5-20, NIV).

So whenever any man or woman is gifted and called by the Holy Spirit to a ministry of any kind, in Jesus’ name, let them do so remembering that they engage in this ministry in Jesus’ power and authority, not their own, as Matt. 28: 18-20 makes clear. And let then remember that they have been gifted, called and authorized to do the kingdom work that he, the Father, and the Holy Spirit have jointly agreed, approved and empowered them to do, as Paul confirms in 1 Cor. 12:4-11. And let the modern Pharisees in our churches ask themselves who does right in the eyes if God, those who obey God and his word, or those who presume to speak in the place of God and his Word. But let us all who know the Lord, and have experienced the gifting and calling of the Spirit, obey God and fufill the ministries he has called us his servants, male and female, to do. So that is what I would say on this last aspect of the debate.